Mary Lou Tilberg, 84 died Sunday May 13th at Brookfield Park, St Paul, Nebraska.  Funeral services will be at 10:00am Saturday, May 19th at Ethan United Methodist Church with burial in HillCrest Cemetery Ethan.  Visitation with family present will be from 6-8pm Friday at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell.

Mary Lou Tilberg was born February 5th, 1934 to Joseph Lynn and Mary Elizabeth Gilfillan (Hampshire) in Wabash, Indiana.   J. Lynn Gilfillan moved the family to Mitchell, South Dakota where Mary Lou grew up and attended the Mitchell Public Schools.  She graduated from Mitchell High school in 1952.  She received a B.A. in History with a minor in Secondary Education after attending the University of South Dakota and Dakota Wesleyan University.  After graduation, Mary Lou taught rural school near Loomis.  In 1960-61, Mary Lou was appointed Director of the South Dakota Territorial Centennial Commission.  Her college advisor and teacher Leonard Jennewein, encouraged her to take on this state leadership and organizational role. She traveled throughout South Dakota, coordinating and attending local celebrations honoring our Dakota Territorial history.  Her efforts and contributions can be seen today at the Discovery Museum on the Dakota Wesleyan campus.

She met Randall K. Tilberg during her studies at Dakota Wesleyan.  They fell in love, and after Mary Lou's work was complete with the State Centennial Commission, Randall and Mary Lou were married November 27th, 1961.  Mary Lou loved the land and agriculture as much as Randall and they farmed and raised their family together in rural Ethan, South Dakota, carrying on the Tilberg family heritage.

Mary Lou loved family, farming, art, flowers all over the farm, gardening, neighbors, coffee in Ethan with her friends, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt and the Minnesota Vikings.  She loved being a Grandmother and enjoyed attending all of her grand children's school events. She loved cooking for large family holidays and get-togethers, could make scratch pancakes that would melt in your mouth without a recipe, and was an excellent wild game cook. Most of all Mary Lou loved God and her church.  She was a member of the Ethan United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women and she taught Sunday school for many years.  Mary Lou belonged to numerous community organizations, including the Order of the Eastern star, World Organization of China Painters Club, Ethan Extension club, and Hobby club.

Mary Lou was an accomplished ceramic and porcelain china painter, especially in the study of flowers. Her works have been published in the World Organization of China Painters magazine.  She exhibited many of her works, and was awarded numerous blue ribbons at the South Dakota State fair.  Her highest state fair accomplishment was being presented with the Governor's award, with that work now displayed at the State Capital in Pierre.  Mary Lou was a gifted women who was nurtured by her faith, family and farm and in turn nurtured us with her art.

Survivors include her children Deb and Butch Lukes, Grand Island, NE, Mac and Barb Tilberg, Mitchell, Greg and Marge Tilberg, Mitchell and Scott and Mary Tilberg, Ethan; 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; a brother Norman and sister-in-law Rita Gilfillan and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Randall, father and mother in-law, Vivian and Elmina Tilberg, brother and sister in-law Wayne and Melva Jo Tilberg, niece Tracy Freeman and nephew Tim Tilberg.

Memorials may be directed to Ethan United Methodist Church and the South Dakota Alzhemier's Association.